The Ducks have signed left wing Chase De Leo (two years, two-way), centers Glenn Gawdin (two years, one-way in 2022-23) and Justin Kirkland (one-year, two-way), and defensemen Austin Strand (one-year, two-way) and Colton White (two years, two-way) to NHL contracts.
Ducks Sign De Leo, Gawdin, Kirkland, Strand and White to Contracts
De Leo, 26 (10/25/95), has appeared in seven career NHL games with Anaheim (2018-21), New Jersey (2021-22) and Winnipeg (2015-16). A native of La Mirada, Calif, De Leo made his Anaheim debut Mar. 30, 2019 at Edmonton, becoming the fourth Southern California native to play for the Ducks.
The 5-9, 185-pound forward led the Utica Comets (AHL) in points (21-35=56) and assists in 55 AHL games in 2021-22. He also registered 1-2=3 points with a +3 rating in five Calder Cup Playoff games. De Leo has earned 111-167=278 points in 420 career AHL contests with Utica, San Diego and Manitoba. In 154 games with the Gulls from 2018-21, De Leo collected 45-70=115 points, ranking fourth in goals, points, assists and seventh in appearances among San Diego's all-time franchise leaders.
Originally selected by Winnipeg in the fourth round (99th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft, De Leo represented Team USA at the 2015 World Junior Championship, and helped the Portland Winter Hawks to a Western Hockey League (WHL) championship and an appearance in the 2013 Memorial Cup final.
Gawdin, 25 (3/25/97), has recorded one assist (0-1=1) in nine career NHL games with the Calgary Flames (2020-22), including two contests last season. The 6-1, 191-pound forward spent the majority of 2021-22 with the Stockton Heat of the AHL, scoring 15-35=50 points, ranking tied for second in assists and third in points among team leaders. He also scored 3-3=6 points in 10 Calder Cup Playoff contests.
Originally selected by St. Louis in the fourth round (116th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft, Gawdin has recorded 46-102=148 points with a +23 record in 201 career AHL games. He also appeared in 312 career WHL games with Swift Current, scoring 126-187=313 points in addition to 21-24=45 points in 48 WHL Playoff contests. In 2017-18, he helped the Broncos to a WHL championships and was named the WHL Playoff Most Valuable Player after registering 14-18=32 points in 24 games. He served as the Swift Current captain in 2016-17 and 2017-18.
The Richmond, British Columbia native has helped Canada to bronze at the 2015 U-18 World Championship (2-2=4 points) and silver at the 2014 U-17 World Hockey Challenge (3-3=6 points).
Kirkland, 25 (8/2/96), recorded 25-23=48 points and 75 penalty minutes in 66 AHL games with Stockton in 2021-22, setting career highs in goals, assists, points, PIM and power-play goals (9). He helped Stockton to a Western Conference Finals berth in the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs, leading the Heat in goals and scoring with 7-5=12 points in 13 postseason games.
The 6-3, 205-pound forward has scored 58-94=152 points with 246 PIM in 333 career AHL games with Stockton and Milwaukee. He also earned 1-1=2 points in four ECHL games with the Cincinnati Cyclones in 2016-17.
A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Kirkland spent parts of five seasons with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL (2011-16), collecting 71-98=169 points with a +79 rating and 140 PIM in 199 career WHL games. Originally selected by Nashville in the third round (62nd overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft, Kirkland tallied 19-12=31 points in 47 career WHL playoff games, helping Kelowna to a WHL championship in 2015 and an appearance in the Memorial Cup final.
Strand, 25 (2/17/97), has appeared in 21 career NHL games with Los Angeles, collecting three assists with a +1 rating and eight PIM. He split 2021-22 with the Kings and Ontario Reign, earning two assists with Los Angeles and posting 3-4=7 points and 30 PIM in 32 AHL games.
The 6-4, 205-pound defenseman has earned 19-26=45 points and 96 PIM in 135 career AHL games with Ontario from 2018-22. He also scored 1-2=3 points in nine ECHL games with the Manchester Monarchs in 2018-19. A native of Calgary, Alberta, Strand appeared in 268 WHL games with Red Deer and Seattle from 2014-2018, registering 40-82=122 points with a +7 rating and 242 PIM. He added 7-13=20 points in 42 career WHL playoff games, helping Seattle to a WHL championship in 2017.
White, 25 (5/3/97), has appeared in 38 career NHL games with New Jersey, posting four assists (0-4=4) with 14 PIM. He appeared in 27 games with New Jersey in 2021-22, earning his first career point (assist) Oct. 19 vs. Seattle and setting career highs in points (0-4=4), assists and appearances. The 6-1, 187-pound defenseman also scored 3-0=3 points with a +1 rating and six PIM in six AHL contests with Utica last season.
Originally selected by New Jersey in the fourth round (97th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft, White has recorded 14-47=61 points with 87 PIM in 196 career AHL games with Utica and Binghamton. White also appeared in 11 career ECHL games with Adirondack in 2017-18, scoring 2-2=4 points. A native of London, Ontario, White posted 21-72=93 points with a +66 rating and 86 PIM in 256 career Ontario Hockey League (OHL) games with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds from 2013-17.
